But the Wards' home isn't in the Scottsdale-based Drewett and Green's usual backyard.Instead, their Luxury home located on Lake Havasu The Arizona city sits atop the azure reservoir of the Colorado River and is surrounded by the high Mojave Desert.This design is Lake Havasu Luxury Homes It marks a turning point in the architecture of the lakeside area and reflects an improvement in style.

“Honestly, the only thing I knew about Lake Havasu was what I saw on MTV,” Drewett recalled with a laugh, during the annual spring break event immortalized on reality TV. I mentioned the lake prank. “However, when we arrived at the site, we were stunned not only by the beauty of the lake, but also by the beauty of the surrounding mountains and desert.”

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The community's roots date back to the 1930s, when Parker Dam was built downstream to form the lake. In the 1960s, entrepreneur Robert McCulloch began developing Lake Havasu City on the eastern, Arizona side of the lake. He famously imported the old London Bridge from England and rebuilt it as his marketing tool and tourist attraction across the waterway. In the following decades, the town became known as Arizona's “Riviera.” Lake Havasu is a popular spring break destination as well as a second home for Southern Californians and snowbirds from the upper Midwest and Canada who come for sunbathing, water sports, golf, and desert recreation. . For many years, standard manufactured homes have been the housing option, but as more people discover the lake lifestyle, custom homes have started appearing on the market.

The Wards, who had established a construction business in Park City, Utah, came to Lake Havasu in 2002 to work on building several homes in a new subdivision. “We didn't plan on spending many years here,” Scott Ward recalls. “But even after so many houses have been built, we’re still here.”

A few years ago, a new marina opened on the lake, and so did a new community called Havasu Riviera, located on a hill and with stunning ocean views. Mr. and Mrs. Ward joined the community and built a luxury home there, and he chose to build his own home on one of the available lots.

“This community marks a turning point for Lake Havasu City,'' Ward explains. “The developer wanted a higher level of architecture here.” After meeting with several architects, Scott and Tricia brought Drewett on to the project. In addition to designing their own home, the architect has worked on more than 20 others and helped develop the community's design guidelines.

“My challenge when designing Tricia and Scott's home was that I wanted to create a plan that would provide a good living experience and capture the views,” Drewett recalls. “However, the lot is quite small and everyone in Lake Havasu City has a lot of boats and 'toys', so a larger garage is needed and takes up a lot of space.”

Drewett approached this challenge by creating a 4,000-square-foot plan with nothing on the street. On that elevation is a large but architecturally beautiful garage, with the entrance moved to the side of the house. The builder and architect were able to install his second floor for the main suite and offices by digging down several feet to meet local height restrictions. According to the plan, the house includes a living room, dining room and kitchen on his first floor, as well as two bedrooms and a study.

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Thanks to pockets and a stacked window wall, the entire back of the main level opens onto the pool patio with unobstructed views of the surrounding desert and lake. The dramatic feature is the cantilevered angular overhang that covers most of the glass. “I yacht mania” explains Drewett. “I love catamarans. Scott also loves sailing. This part of the house and its angles were inspired by French sailboat design.”

Inside, interior designer Green, who has worked with Drewett on past projects, took cues from the home's pale stucco and limestone exterior and beautiful surroundings to create an appealing contemporary environment for Wards. I did. “The Wards are an active and vibrant couple,” Green explains. “I wanted the interior to be livable and reflect those people.”

“I told Mara I wanted the interior to complement the architecture,” recalls Tricia Ward. “But we also wanted it to look warm and inviting, rather than cold and inorganic. We wanted the furniture to feel like being wrapped in a soft blanket.”

Greene took an understated and elegant approach, focusing on the desert and lake views, creating pieces in neutral tones against the pale porcelain tile floors on the main floor and white oak wood backdrop on the second floor. The interior designer employed layers and asymmetrical lines to add interest to each room, suggested simple furniture with a bit of heft to match the scale of the environment, and combined wood and metal for added definition. .

In the living room, a sofa, loveseat, and two armchairs create a conversation area in front of a linear fireplace and television, while the dining room's live-edge walnut table is illuminated by a dramatic chandelier. Rift-cut oak cabinetry in the kitchen is accented with an island wrapped in veined quartzite, adding warmth to the atmosphere.

The interior is further characterized by several architectural details, including a cantilevered glass rail staircase leading to the second floor and a green-designed steel, glass, and wood wine display cabinet that separates the entryway from the dining room. “The wine display is intended to be a distinctive entry point without detracting from the view,” says Green. “It glows when you light it up at night.”

Now settled in their new home, Tricia and Scott are enjoying the modern design and luxurious Lake Havasu lifestyle. “I'm buying a new boat,” Scott says, looking out at the marina a short distance away. “Socializing here means parking your boat on the water and having drinks or dinner with friends at a restaurant by the lake. Our house faces west, so the sunsets are spectacular and you can see the lights at night. London bridge. “